Respect human rights

All human beings have the right to be treated equally and without discrimination.

Human rights are the universal political, civil, economic, labour, social and cultural rights and freedoms to which every individual is entitled, regardless of nationality, sex, ethnicity, religion or any other status1. Respecting human rights is critical to the sustainable operation of our business and meeting our commitments to internationally recognised human rights standards. Our commitments are described in our Human Rights Policy Statement and Indigenous Peoples Policy Statement.

1 As defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 

Respect human rights

  • What it means for you

    BHP undertakes due diligence and engages with people and communities whose rights could be impacted by our operations, using their views to inform how to avoid or lessen potential impacts. 

    When we cause or contribute to adverse human rights impacts, we work with people and communities to find solutions that address those impacts. 

    We create a supportive and fair workplace for our employees and contractors by committing to take steps to operate in a manner consistent with the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, including the four Core international Labour Standards related to the freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining, prohibiting child and forced labour, and eliminating discrimination. 

    Our approach to security management respects human rights in line with the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, and our security providers must do the same. 

    We recognise that humans depend on the environment in which we live and acknowledge the United Nations General Assembly’s recognition of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. BHP engages with people and communities to understand how their human rights are connected to air, land, water and biodiversity, and seeks to involve them in designing solutions to best manage environmental impacts from our operations. 

    Our suppliers and partners are required to demonstrate respect for human rights through their strong management systems and responsible sourcing. 

    We take a risk-based approach to due diligence and monitor the human rights performance of our suppliers and partners through constructive engagements with them. 

  • How you make an impact
    You treat others with respect, consider how your decisions can impact the rights of people, and speak up with any concerns about any potential or actual adverse impacts to a person’s human rights. 

  • Resources

    Human Rights Policy Statement  
    Indigenous Peoples Policy Statement
    Community and Indigenous Peoples Global Standard
    Security and Business Resilience Global Standard
    Minimum Requirements for Suppliers
SDM r CMYK

Always

• Raise any human rights concerns via the community complaints and grievance process or via Integrity@BHP or the BHP Protected Disclosure Reporting Channel.

• Consider the human rights implications of BHP activities, including across our value chain.

• Identify and address human rights risks and adverse impacts from the perspective of the person who holds the right.

• Undertake due diligence on our suppliers to assess their alignment with human rights.

• Ensure human rights concerns and complaints are investigated and remedied, if appropriate, and the outcomes reported to relevant stakeholders.

South Flank CMYK

Never

• Threaten, punish, discipline, or retaliate against anyone,
inside or outside BHP, for raising or helping to address
a human rights concern.

Hypothetical scenarios

  • Q: I’m aware the local Indigenous community has strong connections to the land on which we operate, but I’m not sure if there is any active engagement to ensure their significant sites are effectively identified and managed. I raised this with my team and they didn’t know if any engagement is happening either. What should I do?

    A: Engaging with the traditional owners of the land and managing cultural heritage matters is an integral part of our business. All our assets must implement a framework for identifying, documenting and managing aspects of cultural significance.

     

    BHP works to obtain the consent of Indigenous communities for projects that are located on lands traditionally owned by or under customary use of Indigenous peoples and are likely to have significant adverse impacts on Indigenous peoples. If you are unsure whether these requirements are being met or have any concerns, speak with your line leader or 2Up leader, use the local complaints and grievance process or contact EthicsPoint.

  • Q: I have seen recent media reports that one of BHP’s suppliers has been accused of forced labour in the production of its products. I don’t know if BHP purchases these products or whether BHP has any obligation to follow up on these reports. What should I do? 

    A: Respecting human rights is one of the foundational principles for contributing meaningful social value to society and we expect the businesses we work with to also meet this commitment. Any concerns of modern slavery within our operations or supply chain must immediately be raised with your line leader or 2Up leader or via EthicsPoint. This will allow BHP to investigate the media reports and if necessary, conduct further due diligence aligned with our Ethical Supply Chain and Transparency program.

     

    We can then request further information from the supplier and, where appropriate, initiate a supplier development plan to close the gaps in the supplier’s modern slavery practices.

  • View more Hypothetical Scenarios

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How to speak up

If you have questions about Our Code, speak to your line leader, 2Up leader, Ethics and Investigations, Compliance, or Legal. Employee Relations or a HR Business Partner can direct you to the relevant reporting options available. You can also seek further information and resources via BHP’s RespectChat.  Anyone who works with us, on our behalf, or is associated with us, can also raise misconduct concerns via Integrity@BHP or the BHP Protected Disclosure Reporting Channel.

Online: Make a report in either Integrity@BHP or the BHP Protected Disclosure Reporting Channel. 

Phone: You can also contact the BHP Protected Disclosure Reporting Channel by phone. 

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